Fire-escape



(No Model.) G. B. ANDERSON.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Apr. 8

'WiTN SSES ATTORNEYS FHCE.

CHARLES BINGLEY ANDERSON, OF ldAYSYILLE, KENTUCKY.

Fl RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,502, dated April 8, 1884.'

Application filed April 29, 1883. Renewed March 5,1884. (No model:

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. Arvnnnsozv, a citizen of the United States, residing at Maysville, in the county of Mason and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do decla're the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a front view of the escape. Fig. 2 is avertical sectional view. Fig. 3 is an edge View of the housing. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the hook, and Fig. '5 is a perspective view of the belt.,

This invention relates to rope fire-escapes; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of devices, as hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, the letter a designates the rope, which is preferably made of steel wire, and is provided with a strong snaphook, b, and ring 0. This rope is carried once or twice around a traveling bearing, D, having side flanges, e, a yoke, g, below, and a transverse bar, It, above the traveling bearing and opposite the yoke, and as near as possible to the escape-rope. The middle portion of the bar it is provided with a loop or ring, In, for the attachment of a short locking-rope, Z.

H represents a housing or incasement for the rope a, having a rotating central bearing provided with crank-handle, m, whereby it the central bearing is turned to wind up the V kinking when required for use.

rope thereon. By means of this housing or case the rope is-kept in compact form, and is prevented from falling with other articles or In order to unwind the rope from its case, one end of the rope should be connected to some article in the room, and the case, being passed out of the window, will descend to the ground, the rope unwinding as it descends.

V represents a strong belt or band, of web hing, leather, or other suitable material, having at one end a ring, r, and at the other a snap-hook, s. In using the escape, one or two turns of the rope are made around the traveliug bearing D, near one end of the rope, which is connected to some firm article in the room by means of its snap-hook; or asteel grapple, as indicated at or, may be attached to the window-casing, and the snap hook connected thereto. The traveling bearing should be connected by the locking-rope Z to the ring 0,

near the snap-hook, to hold the traveling bearing in position until the operator-has connected himself thereto in position. This is accomplished by passing a belt, V, around the person under the arms, and connecting the same bynneans of its snap-hook, which passes through the ring to the yoke g of the traveling hearing. The operator can then safely let himself out of the window, and when his weight is upon the rope he can easily detach or out the locking-rope and allow the traveling bearing to descend with him to the ground. The rapidity of movement of the traveling bearing is easily controlled and regulated by manipulating the free portion of the escape-rope below the traveling bearing. The escape can be readily utilized for lowering children or valuables from the window, one, two, or more turns of the rope being taken around the traveling bearing, to which the child or parcel is connected, the turn of the rope being proportioned to the weight to be lowered; or, a single turn being taken, the rate of speed can be governed by a pressure above, pulling the upper end of the rope to increase the friction as required.

The housing or winding-case is made with parallel disks or flanges f, in which are the bearings for the rotary cylinder. Usually it is preferred to provide this cylinder with a crank at each end, and to connect a loop, z, to the'disks. In this manner an auxiliary escape device is provided, which can be used before the detachable traveling bearing is employed.

It is not intended that the devices shown in Figs. 2 and 3 should be claimed in this application, but the right is herein reserved to make a future separate application therefor.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A fire-escape consisting of a rope having a snap-hook and ring, a traveling cylin; tier-bearing engaging a turn of the rope, and having a yoke, and opposite the same, above the cylinder, having a transverse bar and a locking-rope, substantially as specified.

2. In a rope fire-escape, the combination, with a traveling bearing having the yoke g, of I 5 the rope (1, having ahook, b, thebelt orband V, and a locking-rope, Z, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES BINGLEY ANDERSON,

Witnesses:

J OHN 1VICILRAINEY, MARTIN A. OHARE. 

